Catering & Events Chef

Catering & Events Chef – Aurora Foxes

Location: Minehead, Somerset

Salary: £28,849.60 - £32,302.40 Depending on experience and qualifications

Hours: 40 hours per week, 52 weeks

Welcome to Aurora Foxes, a specialist college and training hotel for young people with learning disabilities, situated in the friendly seaside town of Minehead. Foxes is a very special place.

This is a bespoke role to manage the Flying Fox, our mobile food truck to broaden the experiences for our students by attending events and festivals. .unique opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of our young people in an operational hotel environment that supports our students to learn the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to successfully shape their own future. Our aim is to equip our young adults with the life and hospitality skills to become work ready, life ready.

The main purpose of the role:

To lead the daily operations of The Flying Fox catering van, delivering high-quality food and customer service at a variety of internal and external events. This role combines hands-on mobile catering with a strong focus on supporting students to gain real-world experience in food preparation, service, and enterprise. The Van Operative plays a vital role in extending Aurora Foxes’ vocational learning into the community, promoting inclusion, employability, and professional standards in a dynamic, mobile setting.

Your role is to help achieve our mission which is to equip young adults with learning disabilities to find sustainable employment in the hospitality sector and to live independently.

You will always promote a professional attitude and approach with students and support staff, to enable students to develop the skills required to be 'work ready, life ready.

Key responsibilities:

Catering and Operational Delivery

• Manage the day-to-day running of the catering van, ensuring high standards of food hygiene, preparation, service, and presentation.
• Prepare, cook, and serve a consistent and appealing menu that aligns with event needs and customer expectations.
• Maintain stock control, ordering, and waste management in line with budget and sustainability targets.
• Ensure compliance with all food safety, licensing, and health & safety legislation, including regular checks and documentation.
• Handle payments and cashing-up procedures accurately and securely.
• Operate the vehicle safely, ensuring it is clean, roadworthy, and ready for each scheduled event.

Student Learning and Mentorship

• Provide structured opportunities for students to participate in catering van operations, with clear guidance and positive reinforcement.
• Model excellent customer service, time management, and kitchen practices to support student learning outcomes.
• Work with education and support staff to align van activities with curriculum goals and student progression.
• Offer regular feedback on student performance and contribute to progress tracking as needed.

Community Engagement and Promotion

• Represent Aurora Foxes professionally at external events, creating positive interactions with the public and showcasing student potential.
• Support the setup and breakdown of van activities at events such as markets, festivals, school functions, and pop-ups.
• Contribute to the promotion and development of The Flying Fox as an enterprise, building relationships with local businesses and community groups.

Administrative and Compliance

• Maintain accurate records of van activities, including sales, incidents, student participation, and vehicle maintenance.
• Support data collection for reporting and evaluating the impact and financial performance of the initiative.
• Attend meetings, training, and planning sessions related to operational delivery and student outcomes.

Please see the link below for our full job description:

Job Description: Food Truck Team Leader

Successful candidate qualities:

• Experience in catering, hospitality, or mobile food operations
• Valid UK driving licence (and ideally a clean driving record with ability to drive a 3.5 tonne vehicle)
• Strong understanding of food safety, health and hygiene practices
• Experience working with or supporting young people or individuals with SEND (desirable)
• Excellent organisational and communication skills
• Flexible, practical, and customer-focused approach
• Food Hygiene Certificate (Level 2 minimum) or willingness to obtain
• Level 2 in English and Maths (or willingness to work towards)

🌟What’s on Offer at Aurora?

We believe in supporting you as much as we support the children and young people in our care. Here’s a snapshot of the fantastic benefits waiting for you:

📚 Grow with Us – Training & Development

Learning never stops at Aurora! We offer a wide range of training programmes and career development opportunities to help you build your skills and reach your goals.

💸 Save Money on Everyday Essentials

With the rising cost of living, our Perkbox app helps you stretch your money further:

• Discounts on groceries, phone plans, internet, dining out, gym memberships & more
• Access to our Cycle to Work and Car Scheme

💰 Competitive Pay & Reward

We regularly benchmark our pay and benefits to stay ahead of the curve. You’ll enjoy:

• Enhanced Annual Leave
• Company Sick Pay
• Enhanced Pension
• Life Assurance

🩺 24/7 GP Access – For You & Your Household

Need a doctor? No problem. Book a phone or video appointment anytime, day or night. This service covers everyone in your household.

🦷 UK Health Cash Plan

Cover everyday healthcare costs like dental and optician bills. You and your children are included in the scheme, and you can upgrade to add your partner too!

🧠 Employee Assistance Programme

Your wellbeing matters. Get confidential support on a wide range of issues, including:

• Freephone counselling (available 24/7)
• Online tools and resources

👯‍♀️ Refer a Friend – Earn £1,000!

Know someone who’d be a great fit? Refer them and get rewarded!
(*Terms apply)

How to apply?

Please complete an online application form in full, remembering to include all employment and education details.  If you need any assistance or would like any more information, please contact Adele in the Aurora Group Recruitment Team at Adele.richard@theauroragroup.co.uk

Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.

The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer.

This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled. 

Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.